An overview of the sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) followed by the detection of Leishmania DNA and blood meal identification in the state of Acre, Amazonian Brazil

Abstract

Background: In Acre state, Brazil, the dissemination of cutaneous leishmaniasis has increased in recent years, with limited knowledge of the potential Leishmania spp. vectors involved.

Objectives: Here, data concerning the sandfly fauna of Brasiléia municipality, Leishmania DNA-detection rates and the identification of blood meal sources of insects captured in 2013-2015 are presented.

Methods: Parasite detection in female sandflies was performed individually by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Leishmania kDNA/sandfly cacophony-gene), with the identification of Leishmania spp. by hsp70-PCR and sequencing. The identification of blood gut-content from fed females was performed by cyt b-PCR and sequencing.

Findings: A total of 4,473 sandflies were captured. A subgroup of 864 non-blood-fed females evaluated for the presence of Leishmania DNA showed 2.9% positivity for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis. The identification of blood meal sources was performed in 96 blood-fed females, allowing the identification of 13 vertebrate species. In nine/96 fed females, DNA from L. (V.) shawi, L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) braziliensis and Endotrypanum sp. was detected.

Main conclusions: In Brumptomyia sp. and Evandromyia termitophila, the first report of Leishmania DNA-detection is provided in Acre; Nyssomyia shawi is implicated as potential vector of L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis for the first time in Brazil.

Municipality of Brasiléia, state of Acre, Brazil. The inset shows a satellite image indicating the distances between the seven study areas where sandflies were captured. Rural areas (located transversely along Trans Pacific Federal Highway BR 317): Area 1 - Kilometre 4, Ramal do Polo or Ramal 4 (10°56’43.43’’S, 68°42’13.91’’W); Area 2 - Kilometre 5, Ramal do Jarinal or Ramal 5 (10°56’6.30’’S, 068°46’4.57’’W); Area 3 - Kilometre 13, Ramal 13 (10°54’30.9’’S, 68°49’27.1’’W); Area 4 - Kilometre 18, Ramal 18 (10°55’20.8’’S, 68°51’29.1’’W); Area 5 - Kilometre 59, Ramal 59 (10°49’33,72’’S, 69°7’43.85’’W); Area 6 - Kilometre 69, Ramal 69 (10°49’8.84’’S, 069°14’3’’W); Area 7 - Kilometre 74, Ramal 74 (10°48’8.84’’S, 069°23’9,78’’W).